1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to the field of sport accessories. More particularly, it pertains to a pad or cushion for enveloping the butt-end of a fishing rod and interposition between the butt-end and the body of the fisher-person to reduce the incidence of trauma occasioned to the fisher-person's body by the action of the fishing rod when fighting a large or energetic denizen of the deep.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art of fishing has progressed from the net, to the spear to the fishing rod. Many people partake in the sport of capturing fish through the use of a fishing rod, utilizing an extended flexible line at which forward end is located a hook that is baited to attract fish thereto. Upon the occasion of a fish taking the bait, the rod is jerked upward to straighten the line and set the hook into the fish's mouth and thereafter the reel, mounted on the rod, is wound to take in the line and bring the fish towards the fisher-person.
Fish come in all sizes and shapes; the smallest such as the blue gill, bream or trout, that are of such small size and light weight that the fisher-person can manipulate the rod using only their hand, fighting the fish and ultimately winding the line in to bring the fish to bay. However, there are larger fish weighing upwards of many pounds and hundreds of pounds that are commonly captured by the same type rod and reel. In these cases, however, the fisher-person must lever the rod against their body to provide a mechanical advantage to aid in reeling in the fighting fish.
Levering a rod is commonly done by pressing the lower or butt-end of the rod against one's body while holding the rod at the handle portion and using the other free hand to operate the reel to wind in the line. Some people have sufficient musculature and physical strength to enable them to easily rest the butt-end of the rod against their stomach or abdomen without injury and wind the fishing reel to capture the fish.
However, a large number of persons fish for these medium to large-size fish as sport and do not display the physical characteristics sufficient to allow them to,safely place the butt-portion of the rod against their body to reel in the fish without causing injury to themselves such as deep bruises in the skin or underlying tissue or, more seriously, laceration of the skin.
The prior art has attempted to rectify this problem by providing a leather belt for wearing about one's midriff or waist that contains a forward-facing cup-like prominence into which the fisher-person places the butt-end of the rod when reeling in a sizeable fish. Unfortunately, these belts are uncomfortable when not in use and are not easily transferred from fisher-person to fisher-person without significant manipulation of the free ends. In many cases, a single rod or a few rods are used in trolling for the fish while a number of individuals stand by to take their turn at fighting whatever fish has taken the bait or lure. This requires that each person wear a separate leather belt. These belts are expensive, are not often used except in certain situations such as described herein, and many fisher-persons are not interested in carrying such a device with them throughout a vacation, a holiday trip or on a particular fishing venture.
Some thought has been given to mounting a cushion permanently at the end of the fishing rod; however, this has not become popular because the cushion attracts slime, scales, dirt and excrement from the captured fish and later produces a vile odor that is not conducive to family relationships when the fisher-person parks the rod in a bedroom, closet or other portion of the living quarters. The potential for abdominal injury or at least significant discomfort when using a rod without such a device poses such a problem that it has discouraged a number of persons from participating in sport fishing of medium to large size fish or has actually caused the loss of a fish during a fight.